Thaindian News

Agartala/Silchar, Aug 28 (IANS) Rail services in the north-east continued to be disrupted for the ninth day Friday following landslides and derailment of a goods train affecting the supply of essential items, including food grains, to southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur, officials said.
“The rail services between rest of India and southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur have been suspended since Aug 20 following extensive landslides on the Lumding-Badarpur section in North Cachar Hills district,” said D. Dhar Choudhurey, an official of the Northeast Frontier railway (NFR).

“After clearing the huge mud slides, rail services were resumed Thursday, but a goods train was derailed in the same area again disrupting the services,” Choudhurey told reporters.

“We are trying to resume the service by Saturday,” the official added.

The landslides, triggered by torrential rains, took place between Mahur and Phaiding railway stations.

“The landslides and rock slips damaged the tracks extensively. A 100-metre stretch of track between Mahur and Phaiding had gone under the mud and soil that came down the Barail hills,” the official added.

Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and southern Assam have been badly affected as inadequate supply has led to an increase in prices of essential items in the region.

Tripura Transport Minister Manik Dey told IANS: “Railway wagons loaded with sugar and other food grains have been stranded in Guwahati for the past one week due to the disruption of railway services.”

Train services on the same stretch had resumed June 25 after remaining held up for 75 days following a spurt in attacks on trains by the separatist outfit Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel faction).

Rail communication was badly affected in Tripura, Mizoram, parts of Manipur and three districts of southern Assam - Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi.